Sticker Mule CEO discusses Trump sign legal win

Oct. 13 (UPI) -- Sticker Mule will be allowed to keep its massive, illuminated "Vote Trump" sign on top of its factory in upstate New York after a judge vacated a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order against the custom printing giant.

New York Supreme Court Judge Rebecca Slezak signed an order on Wednesday vacating the temporary restraining order sought by city officials in Amsterdam, located near Albany, court records reviewed by UPI show.

"The judge ruled that she did not have jurisdiction to continue the restraining order because the initiating paperwork did not meet the standards required to commence a suit in New York State," Sticker Mule's lawyer Sal Ferlazzo said in an emailed statement.

"Moreover, she found the city did not demonstrate any safety concerns related to the structure of the sign or to its visibility from the public highways."

The city could file new court documents to "cure any mistake, omission, defect or irregularity" concerning a summons filed earlier this month but is not expected to do so, and the company hosted an illumination ceremony without a hitch last week to celebrate the sign's construction.

"The city decided to let it go, as far as I understand," said Anthony Constantino, the company's chief executive, in an interview. "I'm relieved I didn't get to go to jail. I think it is better we won this way, the right way, in court. And if they do bring additional challenges to the sign, then we'll fight them."

Constantino said he planned to take the sign down after the election but is now rethinking its permanence.

"We don't know what's going to happen after the election. But I'm inclined to keep it up or change it to something else,": he said. "It depends how the election goes."

Constantino told UPI the city took him to court simply because the sign had former President Donald Trump 's name on it. It was a reaction he wasn't expecting, even though officials previously said he needed permits to erect it, which he didn't get.

"The interesting part is how close I was to having to make the decision if I wanted to go to jail over a sign," said Constantino.

He explained that once a restraining order has been put in place it would have to be removed before he could engage in any potentially violating behavior or risk going to jail.

"They brought a restraining order against me on false pretenses, that the sign was a public safety threat, which is a silly argument," he said. "Look at Las Vegas. Look at Times Square."

When UPI pointed out that Amsterdam isn't quite Sin City or the Big Apple filled with illuminated signs, Constantino noted that General Electric is located nearby and has a "much larger sign that's illuminated."

"I think people know how to drive cars," he said, blasting concerns from city officials that the sign could create a dangerous situation for drivers as people slow down to photograph the monumental message.

Ultimately, when asked to address the city's concerns including an ordinance requiring signs to relate to the businesses underneath them, Constantino said he doesn't deal with the "legal minutia" of his business and had simply instructed his team to put up the sign.

But he suggested that city officials could have played nicer with him too, noting that his company brought close to a thousand manufacturing jobs "back to a depressed town."

Constantino, who said he is a registered Democrat, made a splash because he supported the former president after the failed assassination attempt against him in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July. He authored a letter and issued sticker packs supporting him in the election.

"I've been watching the situation with the hatred towards President Trump and his supporters brewing for the last eight years, and I thought it was a really bad situation," he said. "I realized the situation is never going to go away unless people stand up and admit they like him. So, I decided to start doing what I can to let people know that I like him."

Now, Constantino is planning two more election-related events including a "free speech" rally on Oct. 20. He told fans and participants to expect an "enormous surprise" at that event with a stage for speakers made from the bed of three Tesla Cybertrucks.

And then on Nov. 5, Constantino plans to throw "the biggest election night party in America" in front of his Trump sign with free food again and entertainment -- including possibly some "big-name celebrities."

"This is just an election night party for everybody, Democrat or Republican. I want to show people that everyone can get together, have a fun night and you don't have to be enemies," he said.

"One person is going to win. The other person's going to lose. We're going to be encouraging people to be nice to each other, no matter what happens," he continued. "But it's going to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It's going to be like New Year's Eve with the ball dropping."